Florida’s reefs are invaluable to the economy, ecology, and livelihood of South Florida. Unfortunately, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is poised to start a major dredging project in Port Everglades without implementing protections that will save nearby corals. During a similar dredging project at Port Miami, just 30 miles south, the Corps illegally harmed ten times the number of corals predicted and caused severe impacts to an area of reef that would cover 200 football fields. In 2014, Miami Waterkeeper and co-plaintiffs filed an Endangered Species Act lawsuit to get these corals protected and restored. Hundreds of threatened staghorn corals have been rescued as a result, but many more were buried alive and now need restoration.

We are trying to avoid a "Dredgeful Situation" in Port Everglades. The Corps has signed the Record of Decision for the dredging of Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, which makes the project eligible for approval. But, the Corps’ current project plan for Port Everglades is based on demonstrably false data and assumptions, and still fails to protect imperiled coral.

Are you worried about the safety of Florida's reefs during the dredging of Port Everglades? Sign the petition, add your voice.

Just a week after we filed a notice of intent to sue, the County has patched the long-neglected leak. We're very pleased the leak has been stopped, but this is just the first step in getting the County to clean up their act.

We still need full inspections of the outfall pipes, which haven't been inspected in over a decade. And to make sure this doesn't happen again, we need a comprehensive maintenance plan for the outfalls. Sewage pollution can cause severe environmental damage and negatively impact human health and safety. Sewage dumping is caused by outdated and ineffective infrastructure, leaking septic tanks, and the destruction of natural areas and the wetlands that naturally absorb stormwater.

Thanks to citizens like you, we can make sure this never happens again. Miami Waterkeeper works to hold polluters accountable and to safeguard our water and public health. We believe small steps add up to remarkable feats and will stand up to any person or organization, no matter how big, powerful, or well-funded, who might seek to harm our waterways. Your gifts empower us to bring polluters to justice. Together, we defend everyone’s right to use and enjoy clean water.

In a race to expand U.S. ports to accommodate larger, next-generation shipping vessels, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is targeting ports along the eastern seaboard for expansion and dredging. The Port of Miami was first on the list, where the shipping channel bisects a once-thriving coral reef and threatened staghorn corals and their critical habitat. Since construction began in November 2013, our reefs have been smothered by sediment from the dredging. Despite mounting recorded violations, the Army Corps failed to stop the impacts or its contractors, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, accountable for the damage.

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result. The Army Corps, after illegally wiping out over 250 acres of Miami’s reef during the dredging of the Port of Miami, has asked Congress for permission to do the same to Ft. Lauderdale.

“The Corps’ report misleadingly and conveniently blames the disease and warm temperatures for the destruction of our corals, but all of the available evidence, including evidence from every other federal, state, and local government agency involved, shows that the Corps’ dredging that was smothering the reefs long before the disease even began,” said Miami Waterkeeper executive director Rachel Silverstein.

The Corps is required to monitor the area for at least another year to determine whether permanent damage occurred that would need to be addressed.

Miami Waterkeeper (MWK) is thrilled to introduce Dr. Jessica Bolson as the new Director of Climate and Freshwater Programs. Jessica will focus on ensuring that climate and fresh water management decisions are based on the best available science and will work to develop resilience strategies aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change in vulnerable South Florida, while also supporting ecosystem and clean water protections. "Jessica's extensive expertise will help to guide Miami Waterkeeper's positions and actions on these critical and timely issues," said Rachel Silverstein, Executive Director and Waterkeeper.